Antibiotic-Coated Interlocking Intramedullary Nail for the Treatment of Long-Bone Osteomyelitis

Abstract

• * Antibiotic-coated interlocking intramedullary nails provide both infection control or prophylaxis and osseous stability to fractures, nonunions, and fusions, and there is evidence from animal models and patients to support their use.
• * These nails have been successfully used in a variety of anatomic locations, including the tibia, femur, humerus, knee, and ankle.
• * These nails may be prepared in the operating room using simple techniques, and new antimicrobial implant coatings are being developed that may have considerable utility when they become available.